# Change the Debating Hall to "Serious Discussion"?



## departuresong (Dec 28, 2009)

Lately, I've noticed that a lot of what goes on in the Debating Hall isn't actually debating; it is lukewarm discussion. The name "Debating Hall" is awfully limiting, so I think a new name more fitting would be in order: something along the lines of "Serious Discussion." I have seen this kind of forum at many other places; at a private torrent tracker I frequent, their Serious Discussion forum consists of many debates about controversial subjects, discussion of news and politics, and questions about life in general.

These things could certainly fit in the General Discussion forum, but I don't think it would be doing them justice to have them in the same place where one can post riddles or share their picture with the world.


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## Barubu (Dec 28, 2009)

I agree, I've been waiting for something like ths to come up, because I was scared that if I posted it, I wouldn't get any replies. But this is a great idea!


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## Tarvos (Dec 28, 2009)

or merge it with misc. and make it into a subforum

or just merge it with misc. altogether


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## departuresong (Dec 28, 2009)

Sounds like a good idea.


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## opaltiger (Dec 29, 2009)

Too active to merge with misc., if you ask me. A subforum might work, but either way a name change seems apt.


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## ultraviolet (Dec 29, 2009)

I think this would be a good idea because I've noticed that many people are mislead by the name 'Debating Hall' and seem to think that the threads are for well, debating or are supposed to come to some kind of conclusion. If it were to become a subforum of misc. discussion then I think there should be fairly clear guidelines as to what constitutes as 'serious discussion' rather than 'misc discussion'. I don't think merging would be a good idea, considering that the topics are controversial and can easily degrade into flaming. Wouldn't it be easier to moderate/supervise that if it was all kept in one place, at least in a subforum?


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## surskitty (Dec 29, 2009)

ultraviolet said:


> Wouldn't it be easier to moderate/supervise that if it was all kept in one place, at least in a subforum?


Moderation happens without things being reported?  News to me.  (Okay, not _really_, but the button rarely gets pressed at things that weren't reported.  Use the report button!  It's there for a reason! /obligatory message)

I wouldn't want it merged with Misc, but that's mainly because Misc Discussion is filled with HERE
HAVE A LINK
TALK ABOUT SAID LINK
and most debate threads don't consist mainly of WE ARE ANGRY/AMUSED/THOUGHTFUL BECAUSE OF THIS LINK.

Subforum's fine though, as is renaming it.


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## Murkrow (Dec 29, 2009)

surskitty said:


> I wouldn't want it merged with Misc, but that's mainly because Misc Discussion is filled with HERE
> HAVE A LINK
> TALK ABOUT SAID LINK
> and most debate threads don't consist mainly of WE ARE ANGRY/AMUSED/THOUGHTFUL BECAUSE OF THIS LINK.


I am confused (well not really) as to what is supposed to be in Misc and what in Insanity. Is it just that what you just described should go in insanity but goes in misc anyway or does it not really matter what goes where? Or is that what misc is for and insanity is for even less thought provoking threads?
I have wondered this for a while and never came to a conclusion myself :/


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## Butterfree (Dec 29, 2009)

Eh, sure.

Merging with Miscellaneous Discussion does not seem like a good idea to me; some people like to avoid debates about religion, politics, etc. and we should let them do that.


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## surskitty (Dec 29, 2009)

Rasrap Smurf said:


> I am confused (well not really) as to what is supposed to be in Misc and what in Insanity. Is it just that what you just described should go in insanity but goes in misc anyway or does it not really matter what goes where? Or is that what misc is for and insanity is for even less thought provoking threads?
> I have wondered this for a while and never came to a conclusion myself :/


I have no idea.  I think it has to do with the signal:noise ratio.  If it's mostly signal, it goes in Debating; if it's got some signal but a lot of noise, it's Misc; if it's almost entirely noise, it's Insanity.  I'm not sure if that's just how it turns out or if that's the intention, though.


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## Butterfree (Dec 29, 2009)

Insanity is specifically for casual amusement, as stated in the forum description - if you have a funny link or picture, or something of the like that is intended to amuse, it goes there. Miscellaneous Discussion is for stuff that does not belong anywhere else.


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## goldenquagsire (Dec 30, 2009)

Oh god I love the name change. :D


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## nothing to see here (Jan 13, 2010)

Great... now the debate forum's name has been infected with Internet-stupid.

Good thing I have it set to be hidden, so I don't have to be reminded of hundreds of morons typing "(insert something here) is SRS BUSNIESS!!!1!" every time I see it.


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## Murkrow (Jan 13, 2010)

^ I agree but didn't want to bring it up myself because I thought I'd be flamed for it for some dumb reason.


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## Tailsy (Jan 13, 2010)

8( Name changes are such a hard, difficult transition, I know!
I don't think it's really a big deal guys. (Personally I don't think changing it was a big deal either but eh.)

Besides, if you have it set to hidden how would you know exactly what's going on in there? I have it hidden and I only look at it when someone reports something. I know there's... a thread about kinky porn!


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## Tarvos (Jan 13, 2010)

_merging it is very amazingly difficult too_


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## 1. Luftballon (Jan 13, 2010)

well morons usually have issues finding it in the first place. only deliberate trolls will put in stupid things.


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